Blinded by the (street)Light

This post originally appeared on Wallyhood, the Wallingford, Seattle neighborhood blog. Visit us for more Wallingford news.

(By Wallyhood)

If you were out trick or treating in Wallingford last night, you may have noticed the bit of extra clarity and sharpness the goblins and ghouls had this year. Over the the past several weeks, the City of Seattle has been installing new LED street lights all over the neighborhood (we got ours Wednesday).

The effort is funded by federal stimulus money, and in addition to addressing environmental concerns (LEDs use 40% less energy and last three times longer than the high-pressure sodium lights that they’re replacing), they also provide a “better” light. According to City Light:

The LED bulbs generate a white light that is comparable to moonlight. This enhances peripheral vision and depth of field, making it easier to see small objects in the road and reducing the color distortion caused by the amber glow of high-pressure sodium lights.

Not everyone is happy about it, though. It’s been a topic of discussion in the Wallyhood Forums for the past several weeks (New Streetlamps), and the reviews are mixed. While Robba said “I like them a bit better than the yellowy light we used to have” and DEPagliaro notes they’re easier on post-PRK surgery eyes (which we can confirm, as well), Lauren felt the the LED lights gave “a much more jarring hue” and ReeveB said “HATE the color…HATE the sharp glare…HATE that it makes everything under it look cold and blue”.

The biggest complaint we’ve heard, though, is that they’re brighter and cast a wider halo, all the way up to houses. Our friends Hoyt and Heidi on Latona have a great front porch for sitting and whiling away the evenings. But last night, when we stood in their doorway and looked out, we were practically blinded by the bright LEDs lighting up the whole front side of their house, a blow to their stoop (and we’re big fans of stoops).

“We can’t sit comfortably and read in our living room without the curtains drawn,” Hoyt said, and added that their second floor office and bedroom are similarly impacted.

So what’s your recourse? LatonaJack left this comment on the Forum thread:

Shields are available for those fixtures to direct the light downward, minimizing light pollution in residential areas, but they cost the utility extra money and will only be installed to complaint. After you complain on the website and if your neighbors agree the new light is a problem, you might help your chances of getting one by sending a letter, signed by all, to SCL customer service suggesting they install one of those shields.